The present invention relates to a generally flat air filtering device applicable to an optical disk drive.
It is a common practice with an optical disk drive to cool an optical disk unit and other units incorporated in the casing of the disk drive by a fan. A filter is also incorporated in the casing for removing dust and other impurities from air being sucked into the casing. The resulting purified air flows in the entire casing of the disk drive to cool the disk unit. This is undesirable since cooling all the units built in the disk drive reduces the cooling effect available for the disk unit. Moreover, since even the other units which do not have to be cooled by the purified air are cooled by the purified air, a considerable amount of cooling air and, therefore, a bulky filter is needed. A bulky filter allows dust floating outside the disk drive to enter the disk drive via small clearances existing in the casing of the disk drive, e.g., an air inlet and a filter frame portion, contaminating the disk unit.